When floods, bushfires or storms strike, damaging the electricity network, telecommunications towers can lose power and disrupt the radio networks relied upon by emergency services to communicate and coordinate their response.

Essential Energy is strengthening its emergency response capabilities with the development and rollout of Emergency Portable Stand Alone Power Systems (SAPS) across its network.

The trailer-mounted systems are designed to be deployed when the network is too damaged to restore power quickly. If infrastructure can’t be rebuilt within hours, or even days, these units can be installed at telecommunications sites to keep essential communications running.

Essential Energy Project Manager, Lee Parr, explains the importance of solutions like the Emergency Portable SAPS during major network events.

“During those types of events, communication is key. These systems help ensure essential services like NSW Police, the State Emergency Service and Rural Fire Service can stay connected while the network is being restored,” Lee says.

With an electricity network covering 95% of regional, rural and remote New South Wales - and vast, often challenging environments - access can become a major constraint when responding to large-scale damage events. Designed for mobility and resilience, the portable SAPS can be transported into remote or difficult-to-access areas, including steep or rugged terrain.

“The challenge we were trying to solve was having something that is transportable, that can access difficult locations, while also providing an energy source that isn’t just reliant on a generator,” Lee says.

Each unit combines solar panels, battery storage and a backup diesel generator to provide a reliable, self-contained power source for telecommunications equipment.

The rollout of portable SAPS has been supported through funding from the Federal Government under the Telecommunications Disaster Resilience Innovation Program (TDRI), recognising the importance of maintaining communications during natural disasters.

Through the program, Essential Energy has delivered six portable SAPS units that can be deployed across the network, ready to support telecommunications infrastructure when it’s needed most. The initiative builds on the use of similar technology during past extreme weather event, where temporary systems helped maintain communications while power was restored.

As extreme weather events continue to impact regional communities, portable SAPS are set to play an increasingly important role in supporting emergency services - helping maintain critical communications during major network events.